Members may ask questions on the Leader’s Statement.  (To follow).

Leader’s Statement published 11.12.17

The Leader introduced his statement by updating Members about information he had obtained from a District Councils Network meeting held earlier that day.  He advised that the Local Government Finance Settlement was due to be announced on Tuesday 19 December 2017. In respect of applications for business rate pilots, there had been 27 applications and the Secretary of State was keen to increase this. The Secretary of State had also granted three mergers of district councils, and was minded to approve changes in Buckinghamshire.  He encouraged Members to work together to maintain independence for Swale.  A written update would be provided to Members at the next Council meeting.

The Leader then drew attention to his written Statement, which gave an update on the Health Service and Sittingbourne Town Centre Regeneration, and invited Members to ask questions.

Health Service Update

The Leader of the UKIP Group gave his views in agreement with the update, referring to the difficulties recruiting doctors in Swale (and Kent) and the importance of services being provided locally so that they can be accessed properly. 

The Leader of the Labour Group referred to the difficulties in maintaining acute hospital services where there was not a university, and did not support the idea of a ‘super hospital’.  He considered that the best solution would be for acute services to be provided in Margate, Canterbury and Ashford.

The Leader of the Independent Group thanked the Leader for his Statement, and advised that they were some years away from a final decision being reached.

A Member asked if it was possible for an update to be given on services in West Kent, referring to work being undertaken by Kent County Council.  Another Member advised that a bid for a medical school had been submitted by Kent University, which would help to retain medical staff in the area.  Members spoke in support of a medical school in Canterbury, and that experience elsewhere had shown that this resulted in a highly qualified workforce being trained and retained in the local area, and asked if the Leader agreed to support this?

The Leader responded by saying he supported the stance taken by the local MP, and had also co-signed a letter in support with other district leaders in Kent.  He agreed that a medical school might make it easier to recruit to East Kent acute services.  He supported the suggestion made to have three acute hospitals in Margate, Canterbury and Ashford.  He also spoke about the need for local primary facilities and for money to be moved to front-line services.

Sittingbourne Town Centre Regeneration Update

The Leader of the UKIP Group asked how many name suggestions had been received for the new retail site, and another Member thanked the Leader for giving the public an opportunity to give their view on this.

The Leader referred to the names proposed, and advised that a shortlist of four had been drawn-up, for residents to vote on.  The name ‘Princes Street Retail Park’ had received over 50% of the votes cast.  He also referred to the Council going unconditional on the leisure site, which removed financial risk from the Council.